xAPI Core Concepts

xAPI is elegant in its simplicity. It all centers around the simple ACTOR-VERB-OBJECT. It is this simple kernel of knowledge that promises to unlock immeasurable learning experiences and their components providing us with diagnostic and predictive data like Learning and Development has only dreamed of to date. The links on this page are to resources that will provide beginning steps to understanding the basics of xAPI and the promise it holds to change the practice of L&D.

A helpful hint to those who are new to xAPI. The xAPI standard is about creating data and storing it. PERIOD. Early on, I made the mistake of thinking it was about content. Then it was clearly about learning analytics. Next, I confused it with performance.management. While it will certainly have a tremendous impact on these and other matters, xAPI is focused on getting consistent data from numerous sources in learning situations – formal, social, and informal.

These links were created using Diigo, you’ll find my highlights on the pages when you click through using these links. If you’d prefer, you can go to my original Diigo outliner where I’ve been doing the aggregation and curating of these links.

Get Started Here!

This group of links is to introductory content on xAPI. What it is and why it is such a potential game changer for Learning and Development. Get your feet wet here!

xAPI: Beyond the What – DEC 2016 – Myrna Roldan provides a little more information regarding the xAPI learning ecosystem, the learning records store (LRS), the connections between 3rd party systems and the resources you’ll need to put in place to get started.

Deeper into xAPI/How does it differ from SCORM

Start exploring xAPI in a bit more detail with these links. How does it compare to SCORM? How will it affect instructional design? How does it fit with the Big Data movement? What can it mean for Learning & Development?

Experience API, cmi5, and Future SCORM by Art Werkenthin: Learning Solutions MagazineMAY 2015 – Very thorough discussion of the history of elearning standards, the pluses and minuses of SCORM, how xAPI and cmi5 work together to dramatically expand the capabilities from the current SCORM set. (NOTE: This article was written before the Quartz (current) version of cmi5 was released. But nothing here is obsolete or superseded.)

If I can track everything, I could get an enormous amount of data. How do I choose what data to track?

She also discusses two design models – Cathy Moore’s Action Map (linking it with Kirkpatrick Evaluation Levels) and Gottfredson and Mosher’s Five Moments of Learning Need – as ways to think about determining what data you will need to analyze.

cmi5: The next generation SCORM | RISC INC NOV 2014 – Art Werkenthin provides a great overview of the cmi5 spec that extends API for standard LMS courses, replacing SCORM as the future technical specification for that content. Werkenthin provides several use cases which illustrate the difference between SCORM and cmi5.

cmi5 – Not Your Father’s SCORM FEB n2017 – The cmi5 profile for xAPI has been launched and the reviews are positive. Here’s an example of SCORM vs cmi5 clearly demonstrates the advantages of cmi5.

I have created a Twitter List of people and organizations that tweet about xAPI. Please follow it. If there is someone or an organization that tweets regularly about xAPI, please send me your suggestions (Direct tweet me, use the Contact page here at new eelearning, or email me if you have my email.)

PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN COMMENTS BELOW

Is there something you don’t understand about xAPI? Questions about something said in one of the above resources? General thoughts on these resources? Add a comment below.

If you have any ideas on resources you feel should be on this page or in this Resource Center, feel free to use the comment section below or contact me via the Contact page here at new eelearning.